Clemson Continued? LSU rolls Tide, 88-79, in basketball a night after football title game

LSU head coach Will Wade calls out from the bench in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Memphis, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. LSU won 85-76. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)(Photo: The Associated Press)

As far as the LSU Nation is concerned, the Tigers just about swept a doubleheader over Alabama over the last two nights.

Hated Alabama's loss in the football national championship game to the Clemson Tigers, 44-16, on Monday night was basically a win for the LSU Tigers, who then beat Alabama in basketball Tuesday night nearly as convincingly, 88-79, in front of about 9,000 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

"We want Clemson ... We want Clemson," LSU students chanted with 50 seconds to go with the Tigers safely ahead at 83-75.

But the Tigers (10-3) did finish No. 6 in the nation in the final College Football Playoff poll on Tuesday for their highest ranking to close a season since a No. 2 finish just after a 21-0 loss to Alabama on Jan. 9, 2012. That was in the national championship game that started the current 8-0 run by the Tide over the Tigers.

The LSU basketball team snapped the other Alabama winning streak at five as the Tigers beat Bama in basketball for the first time since Jan. 23, 2016.

"The students were awesome," said LSU basketball coach Will Wade, a Clemson graduate who also was a member of its coaching staff. "That made a huge difference in the crowd, having the student section packed and into it. We appreciate them. We know some of them have class early in the morning. It makes a big difference."

Classes for the winter semester started Wednesday at LSU.

The Tigers (11-3, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) dominated Alabama (10-4, 1-1 SEC) from late in the first half on — much like Clemson did Monday night. LSU led by 43-28 at the half. Clemson led 31-16 at the half. And the Tigers kept the Tide at arm's length in the second half, extending the lead to 19 at 47-28 and not letting Alabama to within single digits until 7:49 remained at 70-61 as in the football game.

Alabama did creep to within four at 79-75 with 1:46 left, but it got no closer.

Sophomore point guard Tremont Waters led LSU with 19 points and seven assists, including one while sitting on the floor at half court. He dived to pick up a loose ball, then somehow unleashed a bullet that Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence would have admired. Waters' pass threaded the needle and hit Darius Days under the goal for a slam dunk and 79-71 lead with 2:41 to go.

"He split the trap," said Alabama coach Avery Johnson, who compared it more to baseball. "Waters threw a baseball pass. He should be on the baseball team at LSU. He threw a curve ball that split the trap and the catcher caught it. It was a strike."

Freshman guard Ja'vonte Smart added 15 with five assists and 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range off the bench for LSU in 29 minutes. Freshman forward Days also scored 14 off the bench in 20 minutes with 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.

Senior transfer Kavell Bigby-Williams had his way inside against the tall Tide, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds and scoring 14 points with five blocked shots.

"We don't win tonight without him. He was a huge difference maker in the game," Wade said.

"I just played hard," Bigby-Williams said.

"They were full of energy," Johnson said. "They were energized."

Senior Donta Hall, a 6-foot-9 forward, led Alabama in rebounds with only six.

LSU did all that inside without highly touted 6-foot-10 freshman forward Naz Reid near his best. He fouled out with 4:20 to go and had but one rebound. He scored just seven points with four turnovers.

"We did a nice job on Reid in the first half, but they had other guys, especially Smart as well as Days," Johnson said. "A magnificent job by LSU as they were the better team tonight."

Guard Kira Lewis Jr. led Alabama with 15 points.

LSU outscored the Tide, 14-5, over the final 3:59 of the first half to take a 43-28 lead as Smart and Days hit 3-pointers over the final 38 seconds to end the half.

Smart and Days led the Tigers with 11 points apiece in the first half as each hit 3 of 4 from 3-point range. LSU shot 8 of 10 from long distance in the first half overall as Alabama was just 2 of 9. LSU finished 10 of 15 from long range, while Alabama ended 7 of 24.

LSU took its first double-digit lead of the half on a 3-pointer by Smart for a 37-25 lead with 2:36 to go. The Tigers stretched the lead to 51-35, early in the second half and coasted.

"This just boosts our confidence and gives us that extra edge going into Arkansas, knowing that we're starting off with a win," Waters said. "Now, we have to go somewhere else. They are going to have their home crowd, so we have to learn to stay together."